


Aftermath

by Ash0605



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, I'm sorry Ruby, Like genuinely I really don't know how to tag this, Tags Are Hard, YOU DESERVE HAPPINESS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:28:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25004677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ash0605/pseuds/Ash0605
Summary: Ruby has finally told Dia how she feels, and joined Aqours in the process. However, she still doesn't understand why Dia did what she did, and the fear of the unknown is agonising. Perhaps that's what motivates her into taking her hidden box of school idol memorabilia to the club room.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	Aftermath

Things had changed between Ruby and her older sister. She wasn’t expecting to be confronted by her older sister after her first practice session with Aqours. The other members were as surprised as she was. Hanamaru was too when she had told her afterwards, though to a lesser extent than she was expecting. It took every ounce of courage Ruby had, but she did it.

Against the backdrop of a sunset illuminated evening, she told her sister what she was going to do. No longer was she going to hate something just because her sister did.

It sounded right when she said it, considering the circumstances, but as Ruby mulled it over and thought about it afterwards, the less right it sounded. The feverish passion she heard over the schools intercom a month ago didn’t sound like hate. The small amounts of Eli Ayase merchandise she stumbled upon a few weeks ago in Dia’s room didn’t look like hate either, especially since Ruby was convinced Dia had thrown out every school idol thing she had owned two years ago. Feelings of triumph had slowly devolved into unease, as she realized that she didn’t know anything about how Dia felt.

Dia’s expression when she was with Ruby had only changed to become more unreadable than it already was. Before, Ruby could content herself with the knowledge that it could be about her hatred for school idols, the endless slog of student council work, or Ruby’s own inadequacies. Now she had no idea, and the unknown was much scarier than anything she knew.

A few days after Ruby had formally joined Aqours, she dusted off a large cardboard box stored in her wardrobe and hauled it to school with Hanamaru’s help. It contained her school idol memorabilia, all shoved in hurriedly when she spied Dia throwing out her own. It might be safe at home, but she could be sure it would be safe in the clubroom.

The cloudy, dull morning progressed to spring showers by the time school had finished. Ruby opened the glass sliding door to find the second years present and making idle chatter among themselves, the gloomy atmosphere coming from the revelation that there would be no practice today.

“How are you doing Ruby-chan?”, Chika asked, her enthusiasm seemingly unaffected by the weather outside.

“I’m doing ok!”, Ruby replied. “Hanamaru-chan has something to finish up at the library, so she’ll be a few minutes yet.”

“Is that your box?”, Chika quizzed, gesturing to the cardboard box on the table. “It’s so mysterious! None of us have opened it yet.”

“Yes, it is. I’m sorry for not saying anything earlier. I didn’t have time to leave a note.”

“Don’t apologize.”, Riko assured. Her warm smile morphed into a brash grin as she glanced towards Chika. “It was hilarious seeing Chika suggest that it was from a mysterious benefactor.”

“Don’t say that!”, Chika protested loudly. “You can at least see where I was coming from considering how we got our name!”

Ruby found herself giggling along before she was interrupted by the sound of the door sliding open.

“Hello everyone!”, Hanamaru announced as she hastily moved inside to drop her bags. “I apologize for being a bit late.”

“Don’t worry about it!”, Chika reassured. Ruby and Riko gave friendly waves in greeting while You flashed a salute.

“It might not be my place to ask, but can I ask who wrote the sign outside?”. Riko and You couldn’t suppress their grins as Chika slumped down on the table in personal agony.

“That was me.”, came Chika’s quiet mumble.

“I apologize if I’m being rude, but can you spell club, zura?”

“I can!”, Chika cried, turning her head towards You as if to request moral support. “I just spelt it wrong! Can you believe this You-chan? I’m being bullied in my own club.” The other members erupted into laughter.

Chika lifted herself from the table and pulled the box towards her.

“Can we open this?”, Chika quizzed, looking at Ruby with pleading orange eyes. “I really want to know what’s inside!”

“Chika-chan! Aren’t you being a bit rude?” Riko reprimanded, her slight glare going unnoticed by the orange haired girl.

“It’s fine! I was wanting to open it anyway.” Ruby reassured. She positioned herself at the table next to Hanamaru, standing at the opposite side of the second-year trio. Chika moved the box towards her, a curious glint shining in her eyes.

She lifted up the box, eliciting a gasp from the other members. Even Ruby was taken aback; she knew what was in there, but after two years it was surprising to see that it was all intact. The lid opened to reveal a treasure trove of school idol memorabilia, from CDs to figurines to magazines among other things. Most of it was devoted to Hanayo, but there were also pieces for the other members of µ’s, and even other groups.

“This is incredible Ruby-chan!”, Chika gushed. “I didn’t know there was so many things you could buy! I only have a µ’s poster in my room!”

“Did you get all of this from the city?”, You questioned. She seemed just as thrilled as Chika was. Perhaps Chika’s excitement was contagious?

“I think some of it came from Numazu, but most of it came from Tokyo.”. Riko seemed to nod at this, remembering similar things being on sale while living in Tokyo herself.

Ruby started digging in, pulling out random items and distributing them to the people around her. While the other members took their time examining certain figurines or looking through magazines, Ruby took everything out promptly, while being careful not to drop anything. After two years in hiding, she was desperate to get all of this stuff exposed to the open air and returned to its prior splendor. Besides, she was still reminiscing even at her speed. The memory of frantically hiding her stuff from Dia was thankfully pushed aside by the positive experience she had with each item, be it either seeing it for the first time or showing it to Hanamaru.

She paid little attention to the Nico figurine with one broken pigtail, which had broken off in her haste to snap the box shut.

After a few minutes of digging, the box was almost empty. Only one item remained inside: a small white memory stick. She wasn’t expecting anything like this, but Ruby knew exactly what it was when she saw it.

She grasped it with her fingers and caught the attention of the other members.

“Is there a computer I can use here? I found this.”.

Chika quickly set up her computer, gesturing for Ruby to insert the drive. Ruby sat down in front of the screen while everyone else stood up behind. The wait for the computer to read the drive was felt with anticipation by Riko, Chika and You, and with extra fear from Ruby, who worried that the memory stick was broken or corrupted. In their intense focus and eventual jubilation when it loaded, they missed Hanamaru’s silent marveling behind them.

Ruby gulped as she saw the stick had a folder for pictures, and a single video. She knew exactly what the video was, and the dread started to pile inside her stomach.

“I think I know what that video is.”, Ruby announced. “It was the first concert my sister put on.”

“Do you want to play it?”, Chika questioned. Her voice was unusually serious, perhaps realizing the situation they were in.

“I think so. That is, if all of you are all right with it.”. Ruby turned to see nods of approval from every member except Hanamaru, whose face was solemn. She placed an encouraging hand on Ruby’s shoulder as she moved to open the file.

Once the video had opened up, Ruby didn’t get a chance to press play before she heard gasps from You and Chika. She turned around quizzically expecting Riko to snap at them, only to find that Riko was just as shocked.

“I-I’m not seeing t-things, am I?”, Chika stammered, slamming her hands on the table. “That’s Kanan!”

“That’s definitely Kanan. That ponytail is indistinguishable!”, You added, either affixing confirmation or trying to convince herself.

“You two k-know Kanan-san?”, Ruby questioned innocently, taken aback by the response.

“We’ve known Kanan-chan for years! She’s like the elder sister Mito-nee should have been!”, Chika exclaimed, a slap (presumably from Riko) made audible a few seconds later.

“How would Kanan know Dia?”. You quizzed, looking frantically at everyone else before settling on Ruby’s emerald eyes.

“S-s-s-she’s known b-big s-sis since elementary.”. The frantic atmosphere was making Ruby anxious. The anticipation of watching the video didn’t help, considering all she had to do was press play.

“I never would have thought it! Dia is so dedicated and studious! Kanan is the only one who can match Chika in her tardiness!”

“Hey!”, Chika countered, sounding insulted.

“I hate to interrupt your little spat,”, Riko announced firmly. “but have you all noticed the blonde? I think that’s Mari.”. Her voice seemed to trail off as she mentioned the chairwoman’s name.

The group took a few silent seconds to peruse the three figures in the starting frame of the video. Kanan was in the center, Dia was off to the left and Mari was off to the right. All three of them were wearing Uranohoshi uniforms with 1st year neckties.

The brief silence devolved into more loud revelations as the other second years recognized Mari. Even Hanamaru seemed shocked.

“Oh my gosh. Does this have to do with why she helped us?”, Chika questioned.

The discussion would have continued for longer if Hanamaru didn’t raise her voice and interrupt.

“Can we watch the video first before we theory craft, zura?”, Hanamaru suggested tiredly, her somber tone quickly quieting the second years. With the silence acting as an all-clear, Ruby pressed play.

_“Ruby, make sure to switch on the music when I tell you, ok?”_

_“I got it sis!”_

The third years moved into their positions, Kanan occupying the center and Dia and Mari on opposite sides looking inwards. Kanan’s embarrassment was obvious as she shuffled slightly forward, Dia was brimming with anticipation and Mari wore an excited smile. Ruby was presumably behind the camera, recording the whole thing.

_“Press play Ruby!”_

The music started, and Dia and Mari started rotating slowly around Kanan. Ruby heard slight gasps from the audience behind her.

“I think they’re playing _Yume no Tobira_.”, Chika murmured, astonished.

Ruby felt her anxiety rise as the memories started to flood in. This was the modified 3-person dance of _Yume no Tobira_ that they (mostly Dia) had created. She remembered Dia telling her about all the cool moves they would do and how the singing lines were distributed. In contrast to what was hyped up, the performance in the video lasted for about five seconds before Dia yelled for Ruby to stop the music.

_“That was awful Kanan! You’re so stiff, you’re barely smiling, and you aren’t raising your hand like Honoka does at the start!”_

_“Sorry about that Dia.”_

_“Let’s go again!”_

The group watched the third years reset their positions.

_“Ruby, do you want to know the motto of this concert? Practice makes perfect!”_

_“Don’t be an idiot Kanan.”_

_“Kanan don’t be a dumbass.”_

_“MARI!”_

Mari collapsed into hysterics while on camera, and Kanan couldn’t help but join in. Once the trio fully recomposed, they tried again.

It took a few more tries before they finally started performing; Dia either being satisfied with the start or being too drained to reprimand Kanan again. The performance was leagues worse than the concert given by Chika, Riko and You at the end of April; it was unpolished, Mari was stumbling everywhere, their voices were all over the place and their coordination was lacking. There was one instance where Mari lost her footing and stumbled into Dia, almost sending the pair crashing to the floor.

They were having lots of fun though; the trio were smiling like idiots, laughing at and with each other when their singing parts allowed them.

Ruby couldn’t look at Dia’s smiling face without thinking about the angry visage she wore as she threw a box of figurines in the trash.

Ruby couldn’t hear Dia laughing, reprimanding Kanan and singing gleefully without hearing Dia tell her coldly to “Get that out of my sight” while reading a magazine.

Ruby felt tears prick the corners of her eyes.

How did it come to this? Why did Dia hate school idols so much? Why did Dia do this to her?

Why did Dia do this to herself?

The sound of a laptop slamming shut snapped Ruby out of her sorrowful stupor. She looked around to see Hanamaru, her face plastered with concern and worry and her hand firmly on the laptop lid. The room was deathly silent, and Ruby could hear the roar of the rain outside.

“You don’t have to subject yourself to it anymore Ruby-chan.”, Hanamaru consoled, wrapping Ruby into a tight hug, and pushing the laptop across the table.

“I don’t understand.”, Ruby bewailed, unable to prevent the tears from pouring.

“You don’t have to understand, zura! You can do what you want to do now! If she isn’t going to reach out to you don’t bother worrying about her!”

Hanamaru removed her hands and put them on Ruby’s shoulders, meeting her face to face. Tears were running over her soft cheeks.

“I just want you to be happy!”

Hanamaru pulled Ruby back into a tight comforting embrace. A few seconds later, she felt another pair of hands wrap around her.

“You’re so talented Ruby-chan.”, Chika encouraged. “I know you’ll make a good school idol, and as the leader I’ll do everything I can to make this place safe for you.”

And another.

“You deserve this after 2 years of what you went through!”, You cheered. “I’ll do whatever I can to make you happy here. If anyone says otherwise, I’ll fight them myself.”

“I don’t think she’ll appreciate that.”, Riko replied strictly.

“Perhaps not the action, but I hope she’ll appreciate the sentiment.”

Ruby heard an accepting sigh before a fourth pair of hands hugged her.

“You’re so talented and brave.”, Riko consoled. “I’m here to support you.”

Overwhelmed by the kind and loving embraces of her friends, Ruby’s tears eventually stopped falling.

She didn’t understand, but she didn’t have to. It would be difficult, but it would be ok.

It was time for her to move on and follow her heart with her friends at her side.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by a conversation on the Idol Fanfic Hell Discord Server about Ruby. She was probably Dia's number one fan when she performed with Mari and Kanan in their first year, watching any performances they did, only for Dia to throw idols away completely and drag Ruby with her. To have such a connection and then lose it overnight can be a damaging thing. I wrote this immediately after reading that, and that probably reflects in the writing. I hope I did the characters justice, and that I was respectful with them.
> 
> I don't write much angst, so I appreciate any and all feedback.
> 
> I hope you have a good day, and I wish you the best in staying safe.


End file.
